So an old college pal wrote to me the other day to ask for advice on which recent Stephen King novel he might check out. He told me that he was interested in something more mainstream horror. He said he enjoyed King more before the author “got into all the dark tower stuff and a wondering dude.” I steered my friend away from “Joyland” and toward “Mr. Mercedes.”
But I love that typo. A “wondering dude” immediately makes me think “The Dude” from “The Big Lebowski” wandering around Mid-world, befuddled, after accidentally stepping through an inter-dimensional door. He’d have a “beverage” in one hand and a WTF expression on his face.
“Joyland” is a surprisingly average novel by an otherwise amazing novelist. Its ghost story is actually pretty scary, but it occupies so little of the book that it seems like a brief subplot. The bulk of the book is a coming-of-age story about its protagonist, with tons and TONS of expository information about “carny” life, work, and culture. I actually found myself skimming pages that detailed the carny dialect (or “Talk”), or the descriptions of daily work.
The characters of Devin, Tom and Erin were relatable and likeable — Annie and Mike were a little less so.
This book was okay, but I doubt it belongs at the top of anyone’s must-read list.